The Sextet for Horns and String Quartet, op. 81b, was written by composer Ludwig van Beethoven in 1795 and published by Simrock Verlag in 1810. It is in the key of E-flat major and is scored for two french horns and string quartet. It a composition characteristic of Beethoven's early writing, marked by its Mozartian tendencies.
I. Allegro con Brio
This movement is in a traditional sonata form. The main theme consists of call-and response between the strings and horns whereby the strings play one loud chord and the French horns respond in soft slurred eighth notes, followed by a staccato pattern in the french horns and a chromatic motive played by the viola and cello an octave apart to lead to the first perfect authentic cadence whereby all the instruments play a soft E-flat major chord. The development section begins in the relative major of the parallel minor, G-flat major. It modulates briefly to A-flat minor and later E-flat minor for a longer period of time. These keys are normally associated with a sorrowful, lamenting mood, and in this case are used to contrast to the light, playful exposition section. Through the use of a B-flat pedal point, the key is brought back to E-flat major and an extended half-cadence on the dominant is used to transition to the recapitulation.